Is Elden Ring a AAA Game?
As a long-time gamer and industry analyst, few 2022 releases have captured my attention like Elden Ring. This hugely ambitious open world title has dominated critical appraisal and commercial success metrics. But does one of 2022‘s brightest stars qualify as a AAA game? Let‘s investigate using data, comparisons and industry criteria.
Defining AAA Games
The term "triple A" or "AAA game" is an informal classification within gaming. While no set budget or criteria exists, AAA games typically possess:
- Large development budgets – often over $100 million
- Extended production schedules – taking 3+ years
- Huge marketing budgets
- Top-tier graphics, technology and production values
- Major publishers like EA, Activision or Ubisoft
- Strong critical reception – high review scores
- High sales reaching millions of units
Now let‘s examine how Elden Ring measures up.
Sizeable Budget Fitting AAA Ambitions
While no official budget is published, industry analysts estimate Elden Ring‘s development budget exceeded $100 million – squarely in AAA territory. When considering the vast landscape and over 150 hours of gameplay, this high investment makes sense.
Elden Ring spent over 5 years in active development – another hallmark of AAA prestige. This allowed unprecedented scale and polish for the renowned FromSoftware studio.
| Game | Development Budget |
|---|---|
| Elden Ring | >$100 million (estimated) |
| Grand Theft Auto V | $137 million |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | $80 million |
Data from industry analyst estimates
The table above contextualizes Elden Ring‘s spending against other AAA titans. Rockstar‘s open worlds set an intimidating benchmark, but Elden Ring clearly received the funding to match AAA ambitions.
Pedigree Publisher in Bandai Namco
Japanese entertainment giant Bandai Namco‘s publishing portfolio speaks for itself:
- Tekken – fighting series with over 50 million sales
- Soulcalibur – landmark weapons fighter
- Dragon Ball – acclaimed anime game adaptations
- Little Nightmares – breakout horror IP
With mass market expertise nurturing everything from testdirven indies to major licenses, Bandai Namco offered Elden Ring AAA credentials and quality assurance.
FromSoftware‘s watershed moment deserves this steadfast support. Bandai Namco‘s global publishing and marketing apparatus propels titles to commercial stardom – perfect for one of 2022‘s flagship releases.
Technical Prowess – Built For Next-Gen
Elden Ring signifies FromSoftware‘s first step into open world gaming, introducing seamless traversal and mounted combat to its formula.
Realizing this exponentially bigger land between realms demanded cutting edge tools and rendering techniques:
- Spectacular draw distances granting vista views
- Intricately modeled environments filled with nuance
- Cinematic lighting and fluid world simulation
- Richly detailed character and enemy models
These cutting edge accents required a generational leap in proprietary toolsets. Elden Ring stands alongside Demon‘s Souls as a poster child for new-gen gaming. From shadow rendering to volumetric clouds, its technical prowess matches any AAA power fantasy.
Mainstream Marketing Push
Elden Ring punctuated 18 months of fervent anticipation with aggressive AAA marketing. My fellow gaming enthusiasts will recall its repeated showcases across shows like Summer Games Fest and Taipei Game Show for sustained hype building.
But mainstream penetration was equally apparent in:
- TV commercials blanketing primetime slots
- Towering Times Square promotion
- Influencer and celebrity endorsements
- Cross-industry collaboration with companies like UberEats
This saturation confirms Elden Ring‘s aspirations – namely, cementing FromSoftware as a bankable blockbuster developer. Only AAA franchises wield this marketing strength.
Critical Powerhouse – Industry‘s Darling
Elden Ring‘s quality shines through an OpenCritic score of 96 – making it one of 2022‘s best reviewed games across all platforms.
Critics consistently praise its elaborate worldbuilding, demanding combat systems and immense discovery potential:
- IGN – 10/10 "Masterpiece"
- GameSpot – 10/10 "Never Been Better"
- PlayStation Universe – 10/10 "Utterly Exceptional"
This professional endorsement sealed Elden Ring‘s inductions into gaming‘s hall of fame. Stealing Game Awards‘ most coveted honor – Game of the Year – puts FromSoftware‘s opus beside historic greats like The Last of Us and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Elden Ring also dominated critical accolades in player-voted award shows like The Steam Awards. Industry-wide recognition shows its excelling against heavy hitting peers.
Elden Ring accepts its Game of the Year crown at The Game Awards
Sales Juggernaut – 20 Million Served
Elden Ring summoned commercial success matching critical reverence. Publisher Bandai Namco confirmed it has shipped over 20 million units since February‘s launch – trouncing FromSoftware‘s personal bests.
Contextualizing these 9 figure sales against gaming‘s upper echelon demonstrates extreme market penetration:
| Game | Lifetime Sales |
|---|---|
| Elden Ring | 20+ million |
| Grand Theft Auto V | 170 million |
| Minecraft | 238 million |
Figures via official publisher statements
While still early in its lifespan, Elden Ring‘s commercial strength rivals household names at similar points in their trajectory. Its breakout sales certified FromSoftware‘s induction into the AAA hitmakers club.
The Verdict – Undeniably AAA
When collating criteria that defines AAA gaming excellence, Elden Ring checks every box:
✅ Budget – Well over $100 million spent
✅ Publisher – Veteran AAA hitmaker Bandai Namco
✅ Technology – Built for bleeding edge gaming platforms
✅ Marketing – Aggressive mainstream advertising
✅ Critical Consensus – Overwhelming professional praise
✅ Commercial Performance – Multi-million dollar revenue
By all industry metrics, Elden Ring delivers a AAA experience. Its production values, polish, scope and commercial success situate it among 2022‘s definitive blockbusters. I stand beside critics and fans worldwide in recognizing Elden Ring‘s membership within gaming‘s big league.
